Pros
I'll start with the big things. Pay is acceptable, for a social services job. You COULD do better, but this is far and away not the worst. You get one WFH day a week after 90 days, training is pretty comprehensive (depending on what pod you're assigned to), you get a phone/computer/company car. Place gives a big second chance to those in recovery. I'm kinda breaking the format here, as the pros for some are cons for others, and vice versa. This is a tough job, but great for people who are patient, empathetic, and genuinely want to help people. You're going to get pushed to your limit, both by the individuals (clients) and by the management. They're pushing to expand at a start-up's pace with a social services/mental health worker's rate of employee retention. Some of the clients are an absolute delight to work with, and become the highlight of your week to see. Some are impossibly demanding and difficult to work with, and you have to persevere with them even if they drive you bonkers. Some want absolutely nothing to do with you whatsoever, and the company's recent policy change on all interactions having to be some level of face-to-face and in person (while meeting metrics... we'll get to that) makes that maddening. If none of that scared you off, let's talk metrics. You have certain numbers you have to meet. A lot of it is just staying engaged with the up to 50(...+) people you'll be assigned. The ones on board you have to keep up with at least once every 30 days. Some of your assignments haven't signed on yet, and you have to do the outreach. A lot of that means going, literally, door to door and knocking, so you have to sign them on to meet that metric. I won't go into the others because they're confusing and weren't ever explained that well. Now, it used to be that phone calls, texting, etc were considered part of that continued contact. Not the case anymore, which means you have to manage the CRAP out of your time. That's extremely hard to do with a population that has such a dynamic range of needs. Again, if that's your bag, this isn't mean to scare you off. If that's something you don't think you can manage, you're going to have a hard time here. Cons section is more or less the reason I left.
Cons
Upward mobility is virtually non-existent anymore. The start-up pace of promotions has passed. So unless someone quits or is fired, you're in the spot you're going to be for a good long while. That goes for pay and smaller "Senior" title roles as well. That goal-post got moved twice while I was there. Overly focused on expansion and numbers, which does affect quality of care. There was a point where entire days got cordoned off for just knocking on doors, pestering people on the phone, and not giving any attention to people already signed on and needing our help. I know the company has to grow, and we want to reach as many in need as we can. That, however, doesn't excuse giving inflated numbers to the investors when the care itself is deteriorating. Might be uncouth of me to say, but it makes it really hard to justify a mental health company being for-profit. Meetings, meetings, meetings about the meetings, guys.... our time is already spread razor thin. STOP WITH THE ENDLESS HOURS OF MEETINGS. This is more of a personal annoyance, but the "culture". The culture of positivity is so obnoxiously manufactured, "Start-Up 101 textbook", and disingenuous. The second you cause the slightest friction, you get met with a door closed behind you and a "strategy meeting" (ANOTHER MEETING) until you just put the on-brand smile back on and stop challenging the status quo. Past a certain rung in the management ladder, I should say. Your GTL (office supervisor) will absolutely go to bat for you and listen, maybe even the DCO (the GTL's boss) depending on which market you end up in. But any higher than that, nope. You will be ignored and told to "just remember our core values". And that really leads to one final, personal gripe that bothered me. When it came to serious matters or internal conflict, I didn't like how infantile the staff was treated in regards to the higher ups addressing the situations. Lots of talking through their teeth, out both corners of their mouths, acting like being honest with us was somehow "bad HR policy". I absolutely understand being respectful of personal matters with employees, and keeping certain things "need to know". I don't appreciate feeling like we're being coddled and talked down to with careful euphemism.